


Birthday Blues

by TheStarrySkiesOfPalaven



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: A Bit of Fluff, Angst, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Vague references to a past suicide attempt and suicidal thoughts, not too much angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 19:54:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10315781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheStarrySkiesOfPalaven/pseuds/TheStarrySkiesOfPalaven
Summary: It's a bleak day both inside and out for Chloe... but her morning musings are interrupted when she finds something mysterious in the fridge.





	

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY (BELATED) BIRTHDAY TO CHLOE "BIGGEST LESBIAN THIS SIDE OF THE MILKY WAY" PRICE! <3 Hope her happy life with Max is going great and that she's enjoying being 23.
> 
> Warnings: as the tags say, there are vague mentions of a past suicide attempt and some suicidal thoughts.
> 
> As always, thanks to [Morven](http://archiveofourown.org/users/vicepoint/pseuds/vicepoint) and [Molly](http://archiveofourown.org/users/of_thunder_in_my_ears/pseuds/of_thunder_in_my_ears) for being The Best and helping me out with editing. <3

The morning of March 11th, 2017 was fairly gloomy in Portland, all things considered. The chill and the gray clouds casting shadows upon the town made the mood that much more melancholy.

Chloe thought that it was kinda fitting. She stood with her right palm pressed against the window of her and Max's apartment, looking down at the cars passing through the street.

 _It'd be so easy,_ whispered That voice.

Chloe agreed. It really would be.

But that wasn't the point, was it?

She looked at Max, who was sleeping peacefully in their bed. It still hit her like a truck sometimes; here she was, in her twenties and, against all of her expectations, _alive_ and _married_ to the best woman in the world.

Sometimes, Chloe wondered if it was all a dream; wondered if one day she'd wake up back in her room in Arcadia Bay, still clutching the tear-stained, newly printed missing person posters of Rachel, desperately searching for answers and support; or that Max would finally get fed up one day and leave her to her own issues like she deserved to be, or--

Chloe shook her head.

That day hadn't come, though, despite all of Chloe's fears and expectations.

_Yet._

"Alright, Captain Edgelord, thank you for your valuable input," Chloe muttered under her breath. With a huff, she moved away from the window and back towards the bed.

_You could stop being a burden on her any day now, you know? Just get it over with. Gotta get it right this time, though._

"Yeah, yeah," Chloe grumbled. She sighed, looking at the clock on the nightstand. _'Not getting anymore sleep, that's for sure. Might as well get dressed... thankfully, it's Saturday.'_

She put on her usual jeans and shirt combo, as she always did when not working. After a few moments of deliberation, Chloe decided to get started on breakfast. She walked to the door, opening and closing it as quietly as she could so as not to wake Max.

Finding herself in the small kitchen, Chloe went to the fridge and opened it, searching for something quick to make. She distinctly recalled buying some rice a few days ago... maybe today could be a rice balls day? Max liked those... or maybe tomatoes with--

Her search came to a halt as she spotted a nondescript, unfamiliar white box in the fridge, hiding behind a bag of leeks; one that she was sure wasn't there when she last checked the fridge yesterday.

 _'Did I just miss it?'_ Chloe thought, reaching out towards it and pulling it out of the fridge. Looking over it, there wasn't anything on it that marked its contents, and it wasn't heavier than a melon or so. She took it to the dining room table, setting it down and taking a seat in one of the chairs. She opened the box slowly, only to find-

Her breath left her.

And so did the tears.

Chloe lifted her shaking hands to cover her face, resting her elbows on the table. She tried to stifle the sobs building up, but it was for naught; each time she opened her eyes and lowered her hands to make sure the box's contents were there, a fresh wave of emotional turmoil surged through her.

A distant part of Chloe's mind found it utterly surreal how such a little thing could cause so many conflicting emotions... and yet, here it was: a reminder that someone loved her. Actually _loved her_. The omnipresent self-loathing within her waged a bitter war with this simple fact, making Chloe's tears run even more.

Meanwhile... the present, wrapped in glittery light blue paper, tied with a starry ribbon and bearing the label "Happy Birthday to my beloved partner in crime and partner in time. The day you came to this world is one I cherish the most. <3 Maxoxo", sat innocently in the box.

It was to this scene that Max arrived after waking up and hearing the soft cries coming from the living room. She stood in the bedroom doorway for a second, taking in the scene, then hurried to Chloe's side and hugged her gently. Chloe turned around and wound her arms around Max desperately, latching on tightly. She buried her face in Max's shoulder and continued crying.

Max stroked Chloe's back soothingly, murmuring comfort and reassurance. Seeing the box on the table, Max winced slightly; she thought she hid it well enough. It gave her an idea as to what happened.

The hugging continued until Chloe cried herself out, with only ragged breathing and hiccups left. Max pulled back slightly, cupping Chloe's cheeks with her palms and kissing her forehead gently.

"That kind of day?" she asked Chloe softly.

Chloe nodded slowly. "I was just... it's so fucking dumb but... you're here and I'm-- _I'm_ here too and it just hit me again and-- that I--" she broke off, taking another ragged breath and hugging Max again.

Max nodded, rubbing her head against Chloe's. "I know... I know. It's the furthest thing from 'dumb'." she said, stroking Chloe's hair this time. "I'm here, and you're here, and things are staying that way for a long time, if I have anything to say about it."

Chloe let out a weak huff. "I'll take your word for it, oh Time Goddess," she said with a bare hint of humor.

Max pulled back again, giving Chloe a peeved look. "Just for that, you're not unwrapping your present until this evening."

Chloe's response was to hug Max tighter... and then let her fingers roam, tickling slightly. Max squealed and laughed, thrashing lightly against the weak tickles.

"You jerk! Don't think you can defeat me that easily!" Max said in-between giggles. The tickle-fight turned into a mini-wrestling match, with both of them ending up on the dining room floor, giggling weakly and breathing rapidly.

Max turned to Chloe, raising herself up on her elbows. She leaned over to kiss Chloe softly and lovingly, before booping her on the nose and making her huff.

"Happy Birthday, Chloe." Max whispered. "I'm _so_ glad you're here."

Chloe swallowed a lump in her throat, before she lifted up a hand and brushed some of Max's hair behind her ears. And so, while lost in Max's eyes and pondering whether she could get away with another attempt at tickling, Chloe found herself feeling so, so immeasurably _glad to be alive_.

It was a feeling she could get used to.


End file.
